It started with a text message and ended with a flood. Or maybe it ended with boredom. Honestly, tracking the saga of Ellen DeGeneres moved to UK feels a bit like watching one of those high-stakes house-flipping shows, only with more sheep and significantly more political baggage.
By now, you've probably seen the headlines. One day she’s buying a $18 million farmhouse in the Cotswolds, and the next, rumors are swirling that she’s already back in Montecito. It’s been a whirlwind. For a woman who spent two decades as the "Queen of Kind" on daytime TV, the sudden leap across the Atlantic wasn't just a vacation. It was a statement. But like many impulsive moves, the reality of living in a rainy English village is very different from the dream of it.
Why Ellen DeGeneres Moved to UK in the First Place
The timing wasn't a coincidence. Ellen and her wife, Portia de Rossi, landed in England just one day before the 2024 U.S. Presidential election. According to Ellen herself, she woke up the next morning to a barrage of "crying emojis" from friends back home.
"He got in," she famously told an audience at the Everyman Theatre in Cheltenham. "And we’re like, ‘We’re staying here.’"
It was a pivot. Initially, the couple only planned to spend a few months a year in Britain. They had already quietly purchased a historic farmhouse—Kitesbridge Farm—in the Oxfordshire countryside. But the election results turned a part-time retreat into a permanent relocation. Or so they thought.
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There’s also the "cancel culture" of it all. Let’s be real: Ellen’s brand took a massive hit after the toxic workplace allegations surfaced in 2020. Moving to the UK offered a chance to hit the reset button far away from the paparazzi of Sunset Boulevard. In the Cotswolds, she wasn't the controversial talk show host; she was just another wealthy American buying up the local real estate.
The House Flipping Habit Followed Her
You can take the woman out of California, but you can't take the real estate obsession out of the woman. Even after Ellen DeGeneres moved to UK, she couldn't stop tinkering with properties.
They didn't stay in that first $18 million farmhouse for long.
Why? Horses.
Portia de Rossi is a serious equestrian, and Kitesbridge Farm apparently didn't have the "bones" for a full-scale horse facility. Within months, they had listed the property for a staggering £22.5 million ($30 million). They moved to a much more modern, glass-walled mansion nearby—a place that agents described as looking like it belonged in Malibu rather than rural England.
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The "House Sheep" Incident
During this period, Ellen’s Instagram became a weird, wonderful window into British rural life. We saw:
- The House Sheep: Literally, a flock of sheep wandering through her minimalist living room because the glass doors were left open.
- The Mud: Endless clips of their dogs, Sport and Kid, navigating the grey, damp fields.
- The Pubs: Sightings at The Farmer’s Dog, the pub owned by Jeremy Clarkson, where they hung out with James Blunt and the Corrs.
It looked idyllic. But for someone used to the 75-degree-and-sunny weather of Santa Barbara, the novelty of "seeing snow for the first time" wears off pretty fast when it turns into six months of freezing rain.
Did the British Dream Fall Apart?
By late 2025, the narrative started to shift. Rumors began bubbling up that the "simpler way of life" was, well, a bit too simple. Reports surfaced suggesting that Portia was "restless" and that the social isolation of the countryside was starting to grate.
Then came the literal dampener.
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In late 2025 and early 2026, the Cotswolds were hit by severe rainfall. Reports emerged that their multi-million dollar "Malibu-style" UK home suffered significant flood damage. If you’ve ever dealt with a flooded basement, imagine doing it in a foreign country where you’re already feeling a bit homesick. It's enough to make anyone look at Zillow for a house in Montecito.
The Return to California
As of early 2026, the "permanent" move is looking a lot more like a temporary sabbatical. Records show Ellen recently snapped up a $27.4 million mansion in Montecito through an off-market deal. It seems the lure of the California coast—and perhaps the proximity to her old social circle—was stronger than the charm of the Oxfordshire hills.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Move
People love to frame this as Ellen "fleeing" the U.S., but if you look at her history, she and Portia have moved house dozens of times in the last decade alone. They are serial renovators. To them, moving to the UK was likely as much about the project of "fixing up a British estate" as it was about politics.
There’s also a common misconception that she was "hiding." Actually, Ellen stayed quite active on social media and even did local speaking engagements. She wasn't in hiding; she was just trying on a different version of herself. The "English Countryside Ellen" was a character that lasted about a year before the original "California Ellen" decided she missed the Pacific.
Actionable Insights for Your Own Big Move
If you’re looking at Ellen’s story and thinking about your own "escape" to another country, there are a few real-world takeaways to consider. Moving for political reasons or to "escape" a reputation rarely works long-term because you eventually have to deal with the daily reality of your new location.
- Rent Before You Buy: Ellen and Portia dropped $18 million immediately. If you're moving to a place like the UK, spend a winter there first. The "charm" of a stone cottage is very different in February than it is in July.
- Climate Matters: Do not underestimate the impact of weather on your mental health. If you are used to sun, a move to the rainy UK countryside requires a massive psychological adjustment.
- Community Over Scenery: You can have 100 acres of rolling hills, but if your friends aren't there to visit, it can feel like a very expensive prison.
- Property Taxes and Maintenance: Renovation in the UK involves strict heritage laws (Grade II listings) that can turn a "quick flip" into a bureaucratic nightmare. Even Ellen faced clashes with local councils over extensions and flood risks.
The saga of Ellen DeGeneres moved to UK is a reminder that no matter how much money you have, you can't buy a perfect life—just a more expensive set of problems. Whether she stays in England part-time or makes the full-time jump back to the U.S. this year, she’s certainly kept the real estate market interesting.